


oh my beautiful moon, the stars could not compare

by xhangemhighx



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Angst, Changelings, Dark Fantasy, F/F, Fae & Fairies, Fairy Tale Elements, Fluff and Angst, Magic, Minor Violence, POV Katara (Avatar), probably some minor zukka, yuetara
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:22:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27392659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xhangemhighx/pseuds/xhangemhighx
Summary: Katara didn't expect to be trapped in the fairy world, far away from home. Surprisingly, it's not too bad of a place. If you leave out the torture, of course. On her mission to get home, Katara meets Yue, the fairy princess of the Seelie Court. And that's when fate did something good for once.Based mostly on Celtic (and some Irish) folklore, but other forms are incorporated.
Relationships: Katara/Yue (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We're going to ignore a few things from folklore so that this works. Katara's not going to die or have anything utterly horrible happen to her, like extreme torture. Bending still exists, in a way. It's just fairy magic. I'm taking creative liberties, deal with it.
> 
> Also, I will call them fae, fairies, faeries, fair folk, or whatever. They have many names.

A candle in one hand, a glass in the other, Katara traipsed through the forest. The slippery mud of the path was caking her father’s boots, but Katara paid no mind. She had a single thing on her mind.

The path opened up to a large clearing, and in the center, a shallow pool of water reflecting the shining light of the full moon. A smile on her face, Katara knelt down and took some pond water with the glass. She put the glass down on a rock and laid down in the wet grass, soaking her nightgown.

Inside the glass were tadpoles, tiny things wiggling around in the water. Soon enough, they’d be frogs. Katara tapped the glass, but it seemed to have no effect. She poured a tadpole onto her hand and watched as it wiggled, tickling her palm. She slowly lowered it back into the pond. She dumped the rest in and watched go, sinking back into the depths. 

Katara took a deep breath, then stuck her right foot in the pond. The water was chilling, penetrating her skin down to the bone. Was this a good idea? She’d always hesitated before, but her mother’s stories weren’t real - she wouldn’t get drowned by a monster or tricked by a pixie. 

She slowly waded deeper, feeling the hard ground on the bottom. She stopped in the center, surrounded by the dark water. The light of the moon bathed her in warm light, a feeling unlike no other. She soaked in the light, closing her eyes and letting the calm wash over her like a wave. 

On her right, Katara heard the soft noises of flutes and harps, so quiet it could barely be heard over the crickets. Was somebody holding a concert in the woods? In the middle of the night? 

Katara stepped towards the music, out of the murky water and towards the noise. Faint laughter echoed through the air. Katara held back a laugh herself as the music picked up tempo. Her feet responded, breaking into a little dance. The music was lively and joyful, more full of life than anything Katara had ever heard in the village festivals.

She reached the edge of the clearing and stepped into the woods, growing closer to the source. What amazing sight would she be treated to? The woods gave way to another clearing, one Katara hadn’t noticed before in her midnight adventures. In the center was a group of young men and women, each as beautiful as the last. Some held harps, others, flutes. Many were dancing, laughing and singing as they leaped around a circle drawn in the ground.

What was most exciting to Katara was the sight of wings on some of their backs. Beautiful, curved white wings and sharp blue ones. Stunning purple lines and blinding orange waves. So many fascinating colors that Katara wished could be hers. Maybe if she danced with them, she’d see them up close!

Katara joined the circle and was quickly grabbed by one of the fae - a short girl with flowing black hair, clouded eyes, and emerald green wings. They spun around the circle, pressed close against each other, until Katara was switched off to another fae. 

The night went on, seemingly endless, as Katara danced her way and around and listened to the songs of the fair folk. Her stamina never faltered and her feet never grew tired, but she took no notice. This was her only world now.

When the sun did start to rise, things changed. The music grew more discordant, the notes out of tune and the tone much darker. One by one, the fae folk disappeared, but not before showing their true selves. Some had ears as long as sticks, while others had razor-sharp teeth and four extra eyes. The fae Katara held on to shimmered as her skin turned blue. Katara shrieked and pushed at the fae, hoping to free herself. The fae only gripped tighter as Katara kicked, doing no damage.

The world grew white around her, and Katara shut her eyes against the blinding light. When she opened them, the fairies were gone. She was left standing on a patch of vibrant green grass on a cliff side. She’d hadn’t started here, and she didn’t want to end up here. Looking around at the bright colors and shining lights, there was one place Katara thought she could be. The land of the fae.

She should have known better. ‘Don’t play in the forests at night and get put under a spell by fairies’. She could almost hear her mother’s voice. What would become of her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want some reading on fairies + changelings? Here you go!  
> https://scriptmyth.tumblr.com/post/173359805023/in-changeling-type-myths-what-was-the-purpose-of  
> https://scriptautistic.tumblr.com/post/170324076917/im-writing-a-medieval-fantasy-story-i-recently  
> https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/swapping-babies-disturbing-faerie-changeling-phenomenon-007261  
> http://www.irelandseye.com/paddy3/monstatxt3i.htm


	2. Chapter 2

One thing Katara knew about Fairyland was that it wasn’t a good idea to stay in one place for longer than necessary. Who knows when a creature could appear and eat you whole? Sure, she could walk into one such creature, but it was better safe than sorry. She'd still probably see unspeakable horrors and die a gruesome death, but there were few options.

Katara chose a random direction - past the tree stump with glowing purple mushrooms and a single, blue bug. She placed one foot in front of the next, making her way through the dense grass and underbrush. Thorns scraped her legs and cut up her dress, further exposing her to the hazards of the wild. Stupid fae and their stupid wings, never getting cut on the plants. 

Katara was hungry, as well as still tired, and pulled some berries from a bush as she passed. She swallowed a few whole, then chewed some, berry juice dripping down her chin. Maybe she’d take a few more. No, that was a reckless idea.

Katara was going to focus on her mission: find a Seelie. If she found a Unseelie, well, her luck wouldn’t hold up. Seelies were known for their benevolent acts and were more kind hearted towards humans, even if sometimes their mischief backfired and hurt a mortal. How she’d convince the fairy to send her home, Katara had no idea. She had no bargaining chips or anything of value. Of course, she could offer her soul, but no good would come out of that. She wasn't offering her firstborn or her own family. Surely others had done this before and got home safely. She'd heard some of those tales from the blacksmith.

Katara remembered Ana, a young girl who’d disappeared from a neighboring village. The village had looked for her for a week before finding her tucked into bed, two forget-me-nots braided in her pale hair. She’d been different since. While the other children played, she sat next to the fire, soaking up the searing heat. She spoke in poems, beautiful and reserved- haikus, sonnets, whatever came to her mind. Whispers of curses, devils, and bad luck made their way across the village. Ana's cousin drowned her a week later.

Katara rubbed her eyes, desperately wishing she could just go lay down in her own bed. This would all be a dream and she’d be home, waking up soon to help her mother make breakfast and then go talk to the girl two houses over about the latest story she’d read. Not that it was anything new, her family rarely made enough to buy a new book from the local merchant. It was a good thing the merchant liked her enough to let her read the newest things in stock for free.

Books were things Katara had held on to in the human world. Here, there was nothing physical of hers to note. Just herself, her shredded dress, broken shoes, and the small blue beads in her hair. The forest surrounding her, Katara walked on. She walked for hours or what could have been years. Time in the fairy world is much different - she could arrive home only to be several thousand years in the future.

Katara’s feet ached and screamed for freedom from her flats, to walk barefoot on the cold, hard ground. Her calves were killing her, she’d never walked this far and for this long before. Soon enough, she’d have to rest. 

Katara continued, ignoring the ringing in her eyes and high pitched noises coming from the forest above. What felt like an hour passed, then another. She couldn’t do this any longer. Her stomach hurt and her body was so very sore.  She wasn't getting out of this forest. It was too big, too magical, too lethal. All she could do was hope. Maybe somebody would come for her. A fairy enchanted by her youthful beauty perhaps? 

Katara collapsed onto the ground, into the grass tickling her limbs. She laid her face down and curled up, exhausted. Katara felt herself drift off to sleep, but not before seeing the vibrant blue eyes behind a nearby tree.

***

Katara woke up to… a fluffy pillow? She launched herself up, suddenly aware of the drastic change in surroundings. She was in a fancy room, with white walls and a thin mist in the air that smelled like her mother's fresh baked bread.

“Don’t.” A voice to her right ordered. “The poison is still wearing off.”

Katara turned her head to the right. A woman stood over the bed, the same one she’d seen before passing out. The one with the glowing, blue eyes. She was much less scary than Katara had imagined. A girl of average size, with brown hair pulled half back, a loose green armored dress, and large, green wings.

“Poison?” Katara inquired. She didn't remember any poison...

“You ate night berries.” The woman explained. “You’d know them as belladonna or deadly nightshade.”

Oh. Yeah, that made sense. Katara furrowed her brow. Why was she here? She’d be saved. Or maybe the woman was lying. Could fairies tell lies? That was up for debate.

“Why?” Katara chose to ask. It wasn’t specific, but she wasn’t in the state of mind for that. The fae seemed to understand.

“You would have been paralyzed.” The girl told her. “You’ll be fine in a couple days. Our kind don’t die that easily.”

“Our kind,” Katara repeated. “I’m not.” 

It was a risky move, saying this, but the truth was better. She'd hopefully find a way home this way. 

The woman kept a straight expression. “You are. Have you ever felt disconnected from your world? Do you know more about certain things than the average person? They stare at you, wonder why you’re so different. Why your beauty is unmatched and your skills unparalleled. It's not safe to hide from the truth any longer.” 

With that, the woman left her bedside and made for the door on the other side of the room.

“Who are you?” Katara asked as the woman passed through the door frame.

The fairy hesitated before responding. “Suki. Captain of the Guard. Call if you need me.”

She walked out, leaving Katara alone to ponder all that had happened in the last day. As much as Katara wanted to deny it, Suki’s words had placed doubt into her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am most definitely putting some Zukka in this later. And the Yuetara will come soon. Slow burn? Slow burn.


End file.
